The Digital TV Group has published a new industry framework aimed at improving interoperability across IP-delivered television advertising, as broadcasters, platforms and advertisers increasingly operate across a fragmented mix of broadcast, streaming, connected TV, FAST and hybrid services.
The DTG Interoperability & Transition Framework for IP-Delivered Television Advertising was developed over eight months with input from more than 50 organisations.
Rather than introducing a new technical standard, the framework is intended to provide a common reference model that different parts of the television advertising ecosystem can use to align implementation priorities and improve how existing systems work together.
Framework targets interoperability rather than new standards
DTG argues that the biggest challenge facing IP-delivered television advertising is no longer the absence of technology.
Instead, the problem is that established systems, standards, platforms and commercial processes do not always interoperate consistently across organisations.
That creates friction across campaign creation, signalling, decision-making, delivery and measurement.
The new framework is designed to give broadcasters, platform operators, advertisers, technology providers and standards bodies a shared structure for identifying where those interoperability gaps exist.
Five functional areas define the advertising lifecycle
The framework organises IP advertising into five functional areas.
These cover creative workflows, metadata and signalling, commercial decision-making, delivery infrastructure, and measurement and attribution.
Identity, consent and privacy are treated as cross-cutting considerations that apply across the full advertising lifecycle rather than as isolated technical components.
This structure is intended to help organisations evaluate dependencies between different parts of the advertising stack and identify where inconsistent implementation can create operational or commercial problems.
DTG sees interoperability as a commercial issue
DTG said better interoperability could make television advertising easier to buy and sell while improving campaign effectiveness and advertiser confidence.
Greater consistency between systems could also support higher levels of automation and lower barriers to entry for smaller companies that may struggle to integrate with multiple proprietary environments.
For broadcasters and platform operators, a more interoperable ecosystem could make premium television inventory easier to access programmatically without requiring every buyer or technology provider to build separate integrations.
That becomes increasingly important as television viewing is distributed across traditional linear broadcast, broadcaster streaming services, connected TV platforms and FAST channels.
Six recommendations set direction for next phase
The report makes six recommendations for the industry.
These include adopting the framework as a common reference model, developing practical implementation guidance, strengthening collaboration between stakeholders, improving information exchange and supporting commercial growth through improved interoperability.
DTG also recommends establishing an ongoing industry programme rather than treating the framework as a one-off publication.
Chief Technology Officer Alex Buchan said television had managed previous technology transitions through industry collaboration and argued that the shift toward IP-delivered advertising would require a similar approach.
He said the framework provides a shared point of reference for identifying implementation priorities and supporting commercial innovation.
Industry group to map existing standards
The next phase will be led through the DTG IP Advertising Group.
Its work will include mapping existing standards against the framework, identifying implementation gaps and developing practical guidance for organisations adopting IP advertising technologies.
The group is also expected to examine collaborative pilots and measurement interoperability.
That work is significant because the framework deliberately avoids creating another standard layer.
Its value will instead depend on whether the industry can use it to identify where existing specifications overlap, conflict or leave operational gaps.
More than 50 organisations contributed
The programme was developed with contributions from more than 50 organisations across the television and advertising ecosystem.
It was chaired by Devendra Mishra of Virgin Media O2, with editorial and technical contributions from Stuart Boorn of Arqiva, Tom Dunning of Snicket Labs and Justin Gupta of Google.
The breadth of participation reflects the number of organisations involved in delivering an IP advertising campaign, from content owners and platforms to ad-tech providers and measurement companies.
Published ahead of IBC2026
DTG published the framework ahead of IBC2026, positioning it as a reference point for industry discussions around the future of television advertising.
As more television delivery moves toward IP, broadcasters and platforms are gaining greater flexibility around addressability, targeting and measurement.
At the same time, the transition introduces more technical dependencies and commercial interfaces than traditional broadcast advertising.
The framework is intended to help the industry manage that complexity without creating further fragmentation.
Why this matters
The shift to IP is changing television advertising from a relatively standardised broadcast model into a more complex digital ecosystem.
The opportunity is significant. IP delivery can support greater addressability, automation, measurement and flexibility. But those benefits become harder to realise when systems interpret data differently, require separate integrations or cannot exchange campaign information consistently.
DTG's approach is therefore notable because it treats interoperability as an economic and operational problem rather than simply a standards issue.
A shared reference model could help different participants identify where alignment is most urgently needed without requiring the entire industry to adopt a completely new technology stack.
Editor’s note
The framework itself is only the starting point.
Its value will depend on whether broadcasters, connected TV platforms, ad-tech providers and measurement companies use it to make concrete implementation decisions.
The next phase will be more important than the publication. Mapping existing standards, identifying gaps and testing interoperability through collaborative pilots will show whether the framework can reduce real-world friction.
Measurement interoperability is particularly important. If advertisers cannot consistently compare performance across broadcast, streaming and connected TV environments, the commercial promise of IP-delivered television advertising will remain constrained regardless of improvements elsewhere in the technology stack.
Source: MEA Tech Watch Press Reporter
